Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu suffered from depression in the period leading up to the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary.
According to Lawal, Tinubu grew despondent after hearing claims that former President Muhammadu Buhari was supporting another aspirant for the party’s ticket.
Lawal explained that after Buhari’s recovery from illness, a power vacuum emerged around the presidency. Certain individuals took advantage of this gap, falsely asserting they had Buhari’s endorsement on behalf of various candidates.
These intermediaries reportedly demanded large sums of money from hopefuls, insisting they could sway Buhari’s decision through his close associates.
Lawal said the rumors deeply affected Tinubu, who would occasionally become depressed whenever he was told that Buhari had backed a rival.
He added that he repeatedly reassured Tinubu that the allegations were unfounded and urged him to verify the information directly with Buhari.
However, Tinubu hesitated to approach the former president, citing fear of Buhari and a reluctance to confront him over the matter.
Lawal noted that former Osun State Governor and APC chieftain Chief Bisi Akande, who enjoyed Buhari’s trust, often intervened by speaking with the ex‑president and relaying his position to Tinubu.
In his own words, Lawal described the situation: “By that time, a lot of things around Buhari had fallen into pieces. He had returned, recovered from his illness, and despite his age and usual stamina, he became aloof from governance issues. That vacuum allowed small pockets of influence to emerge to peddle influence.”
He continued, “They would tell candidates, ‘I was with the president yesterday, and we discussed the aspirants; he wants you.’ Then they would mention a certain lady Buhari always listens to, promising that a payment of around ₦500 million would secure her favor.”
Lawal said such demands led some aspirants to part with huge sums, and Tinubu reportedly fell into depression when confronted with these claims.
Whenever he heard the rumors, Lawal would go back to Tinubu, label them lies, and encourage a direct meeting with Buhari—a step Tinubu avoided because he feared the former president.
Instead, Lawal relied on Bisi Akande, whom Buhari respected, to convey the truth and reinforce his reassurances to Tinubu.
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